While Spanish food is one of my biggest loves, I am not one to turn down local fare in any of the places I visit. This meant wild boar tortellini in Florence, leubuckhen in Passau and even grasshoppers in China. A happy tummy means a happy Cat.
When I was on a shoestring budget traveling around Europe, I typically ate street food and made sandwiches in hostels and splurged on one meal. Now that I have a big kid job, I find that a far larger part of my budget on eating and visiting local markets.
Then my parents came to Europe and they offered to pick up the tab.
As part of our package on our Viking Cruise down the Danube, we were offered the option of taking walking tours with local guides. As someone who has traveled independently for six years, I tend to stick to a map and my own intuition, but I found Viking’s guides to be knowledgeable and quite humorous.
My most frequent question: Where do the locals go to eat?
Our guide in Budapest, Julia, showed us around the Buda Castle area and directed us to the Ruszwurm, a nearly 200-year old coffeehouse that had retained its recipes ever since. Famous for strudel – apple, sour cherry and even nut – it’s one of the most frequented and most beloved of the Hungarian capital.
When we walked into the cramped café, one of the other families on the cruise was leaving, so we snagged their seats and ordered an espresso for me, a cappucino for my sister, and an apple strudel and tiramisu to share. One thing you have to understand about my family is that we’ve all got a severe sweet tooth, so a certain amount of self-restraint was required to not get an individual pastry and fend off wandering forks.
The strudel was heavenly, flaky on top and tart in the middle. Our bill for two coffees and two cakes came out to 9€ (most places in Budapest accept euros). Warm apple strudel? These are a few of my favorite things.
Marek told us that we should wait until Vienna for apple strudel. Or, you could just wait until Ruszwurm.
If you go: Ruszwurm is located at Szentháromság utca 7, just steps from the St. Stephen’s Cathedral on the Buda side of the Danube, and is open daily from 10a.m. until 7p.m.
God’s gift to otherwise not-so-standout German and Austrian cuisine.
Alex @ ifs ands & butts recently posted..10 tips for traveling cheap and authentic in germany.
Wait, what?! And the sausages?! And the beer?!
I’ll take six. With accompanying double espressos for each. Yes, please and thank you. 🙂
Ryan from Jets Like Taxis recently posted..Day Trip: A Visit to Valladolid, Mexico
Love this! We walked by Ruszwurm on our trip to Budapest in September and our guide recommended it, but we never made it back. I’m sorely regretting it now!
Bridget @ A Traveling B recently posted..An Annual Tradition: The Mother-Daughter Trip
Ains, too bad! Worthwhile if you’re ever back. Just go at off-hours! The place was packed.
That looks super yummy. I’m also glad to hear you enjoyed the river cruise guides…I’m really contemplating taking one of them…
Corinne recently posted..Durian – Stinky Fruit or a Must-have Delicacy?
Hi, Corrine! Definitely a different trip than I’m used to taking, but I’d recommend it!
We were going to go to this place when I was there! Some how we got distracted and went to a Costa Coffee for a gingerbread latte instead. Wtf is wrong with us?!
I blame the the fact is was dark so early and it made me delirious and confused.
Jessica Wray recently posted..Confessions
Dude, not having a coffee in the morning seems to cloud my vision, too. I have, thankfully, weaned myself off of all of those coffee drinks with flavor!
I had some apple strudel as well in Austria when I did the Salzburg Sound of Music tour. Best. thing. ever.
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